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MEMS devices refer to mechanical components on the micrometre size and include 3D lithographic features of various geometries. They are typically manufactured using planar processing such as semiconductor photolithography. These devices generally range in size from a micrometre (a millionth of a metre) to a millimetre (thousandth of a metre). At these size scales, a human's intuitive sense of physics do not always hold true. Due to MEMS' large surface area to volume ratio, surface effects such as electrostatics and wetting dominate volume effects such as inertia or thermal mass. They are fabricated using modified silicon fabrication technology (used to make electronics), molding and plating, electro discharge machining (EDM), and other technologies capable of manufacturing very small devices.
Companies with strong MEMS programs come in many sizes. The larger firms specialize in manufacturing high volume inexpensive components or packaged solutions for end markets such as automobiles, biomedical, and electronics. The successful small firms provide value in innovative solutions and absorb the expense of custom fabrication with high sales margins. In addition, both large and small companies work in R&D to explore MEMS technology.
Common applications include inkjet printers, which uses piezoelectrics or bubble ejection to deposit ink on paper, accelerometers in modern cars for airbag deployment in collisions, car tire pressure sensors, and disposable blood pressure sensors. The digital light projection DLPFor political parties using this acronym, see Democratic Labour Party. Digital Light Processing ( initialised DLP is a technology used in projectors and high-definition televisions. DLP was developed by Texas Instruments, which is also currently the only technology uses more than a million arrayed micromirrors to deflect and modulate light for video projection. MEMS sometimes go by the names micromechanics, micro machinesMicromachines are mechanical objects that are fabricated in the same general manner as integrated circuits. They are generally considered to be between 100 nanometres to 100 micrometres in size, though that is debatable. The applications of micromachines, or micro system technology (MST). MEMS technology is used for optical switching technology for data communications, and is part of the emerging technology of smartdustSmartdust is a network of tiny wireless microelectromechanical sensors ( MEMS), robots, or devices, installed with wireless communications, that can detect anything from light and temperature, to vibrations, etc. The devices are also called motes and are.
Finite element analysisFinite element analysis (FEA) is the application of the finite element method (FEM) to the analysis of static or dynamic physical objects and systems. In it, the object or system is represented by a geometrically similar model consisting of multiple, link is an important part of MEMS design.